Tips for Spring Fishing at Lake of the Ozarks

After being stuck inside from a long winter, spring fishing at Lake of the Ozarks is one of the best times to come down to the Lake and get on the water, especially after the never-ending winter we have experienced. Spring time is the little glimmer of hope that warm weather is coming soon. At the Lake of the Ozarks we see many anglers outside enjoying some of the best fishing Missouri has to offer, with crappie and bass being the most popular.

Whether you enjoy sitting on the dock with your pole by your side, or enjoy the competitiveness of a tournament, the Lake of the Ozarks fits all needs. The Lake of the Ozarks has lots of rock, brush piles and docks that provide a great habitat for bass and crappie. Many say that from March till May you can consistently catch crappie if you find a good brush pile. Others tend to lean on the side of watching the water temperature to know exactly where and how deep to fish. If tournament fishing is more your speed we have many fishing tournaments during the spring for you to take advantage, such as: Buddy Bass Tournament, Big Bass Bash, and Crappie Masters to name a few. You can find more details here on these tournaments.

Here are a few tips that may make your fishing experience a bit easier during the spring:

Many say pre-spawn time at the Lake is when the water temp is 50-61 degrees.

Spawning is best when water temperature is around 61 degrees and up, but once the water temperature hits 70 degrees the spawn usually ends.

Cloudy days the fish tend to swim shallow so it is the prime time to fish. Avoid sunny days normally from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. because the fish are deeper which means more work for you.

Fish brush piles and banks for the best luck on catching many fish during this time of year. For all those that just want to relax on your dock and fish, you are in luck– just make sure you have a good brush pile near.

If you’ve never been to the Lake and you don’t know where to begin, you can hire a fishing guide to get started. They are a great resource and can give many tips for fishing the Lake of the Ozarks. Click here to find more information about the Lake’s fishing guides.

It seems like we may never reach water temperatures in the 50 degrees, or higher, right now with Mr. Winter still looming, but it will happen! The key is to be ready when it does. Once, the weather breaks and Spring is officially here, the fishing at the Lake will be in full swing. If you don’t have your own dock or boat to fish from you are in luck, there are many marinas that rent boats and if you still don’t want to go that route, there are many resorts that have covered fishing docks. This is the best of both worlds, you get to be inside and warm while fishing. It can’t get any better than that! Bring the whole family when you come because there are lots of things to do even if fishing isn’t your cup of tea.

Written by Heather Brown from the Lake of the Ozarks Convention and Visitors Bureau.